Texas will win big over WVU

How UT stops WVU, SEC matchup picks, and Week 6 bold predictions

Updated: October 4, 2012, 10:12 AM ET

By Phil Steele | Special to ESPN Insider

I had a decent performance last week in my bold predictions. While California and Western Michigan disappointed me, Duke beat Wake Forest on the road to improve my toss-up game record to 4-1, and the struggling Ohio State defense proved me right by holding Michigan State to only 34 rushing yards in the Buckeyes' 17-16 win.

Here are my bold predictions for Week 6:

1. West Virginia's over-hyped offense and poor defense will be no match for Texas

It amazes me how many analysts are basically handing the Heisman Trophy to West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Geno Smith and proclaiming the team as a legitimate national championship contender after it has played four games against mediocre competition. There is no question that Smith and the Mountaineers' offense have put up gaudy numbers to date, but the team's huge struggles on defense and the lack of a consistent run game will doom them this week on the road against the Texas Longhorns.

To read more from Phil Steele on why Texas will win big over West Virginia, plus get the rest of his bold predictions for Week 6 (including his picks for LSU-Florida and Georgia-South Carolina), you must be an ESPN Insider.